John McEnroe: In the Realm of Perfection

Julien Faraut’s elegant documentary serves up a fascinating combination of clips from the national sports archive and exquisite 16mm footage of legendary tennis bad boy John McEnroe, captured at the height of his powers at the 1984 French Open. Faruat’s film offers a rich insight into both McEnroe’s style and his complicated psychology, capturing his magnificent court play and infamous bickering alike, while suggesting that the man was - like the French New Wave heavyweights in cinema - a true auteur of the tennis court.

Filmography: The Witches of the Orient (2021), Un regard neuf sur Olympia 52 (2013).

Julien Faraut’s new sport documentary, The Witches of the Orient, is also screened in the Festival’s program.